helping you succeed in forex trading

The foreign exchange market, commonly known as the forex or FX, is a global market for trading currencies. Since 2004, forex trading has become one of the fastest developing markets for day trading. Forex trading platforms are one of the best trading tools to earn a substantial income as part of this financial plan. There are different types of trading softwares and platforms.

Whatever integrated trading platform you select depends on many personal preferences and your individual wish list. What features do you need, is obviously the first question. But do not be swayed simply by the feature set; other factors merit serious consideration. Stability has to be at the top of every trader’s list. Beyond the requirements listed for full integration in Important FOREX Trading Platform features, charts and annotation tools will be at the top of many lists. Be sure the charts and tools for customizing and using them appeal to you, even if for subjective reasons. As a trader, you will be watching a lot of charts!

Trading platform software can be locally based, meaning it is installed on the trader’s computer and can be used with Windows, Mac and Linux systems – different brokers offer different options in this respect. Alternatively, some brokers offer software that is web based. These platforms often run using Java, a dynamic web language. Other brokers provide platforms with different levels of functionality for traders who are more active. It goes without saying that when you search for a suitable online platform, you start by comparing the features and quality of services of some of the more popular platforms available. You want also to consider if the broker provides ongoing support for customers using the trading platform.

One type is the signal provider only, it does not trade automatically for a user. Instead, it provides levels at which a trader can enter the market and usually have a means by which to alert the trader of the fluctuations in currency value preset by the user or of all currencies in general. If you have plans of making money from investing in Forex, then you will need to monitor and understand the leading and lagging signals and be able to make decisions based on these signals. This kind of indicator interpretation is no fun. These signals can most times offer contradictory results; this led to the creation of the automated systems to analyze them. The automated signal systems are much more popular than the manual systems; with the former, you do not need to have a Forex broker in order to trade in the Forex market.

The second type is the automated tool. This advanced system is an automated tool. The automated can be programmed to conduct trades on behalf of a trader with minimum human intervention. It buys and sells currencies, performs stock operations and analyzes the market. Forex trading platforms are not the same. Each has distinctive features that set it above the rest. This article explains the importance of using preprogrammed systems for foreign currency trading. Also, learn the features that identify the best Forex trading platforms. The broker should also offer information on the right way to raise your online security I’d be very suspicious of one that didn’t because they may be making themselves responsible if there are any issues.

Whatever integrated trading platform you select depends on many personal preferences and your individual wish list. What features do you need, is obviously the first question. But do not be swayed simply by the feature set; other factors merit serious consideration. Stability has to be at the top of every trader’s list. Beyond the requirements listed for full integration in Important FOREX Trading Platform Features, charts and annotation tools will be at the top of many lists. Be sure the charts and tools for customizing and using them appeal to you, even if for subjective reasons. As a trader, you will be watching a lot of charts!

The platform should allow the quick entry of all of the types of orders that you think you might need. This would typically include take profits, stop losses and trailing stops at a minimum, with an OCO or “One Cancels the Other” feature as an added benefit to avoid the execution of multiple orders for the same position. A good trading platform should be customizable to suit your trading technique, and it should allow you to micromanage every trade. The trading platform should be able to warn you of good trading opportunities, alongside accepting complex orders, including the numerous stops and profits, so you can simply lower your risk while maximising your profits.

There are also a number of Forex trading platforms available on the market, which allow for an improved automation of the whole system. These will automatically create indicators. These indicators notify you when to go into, or get out of, a specific market. You are able to set levels of profit or deficit for a day, and your trading will automatically cease on reaching either of these limits. It is vital for traders of all grades to utilize Forex trading tools, without which they could find it very difficult to generate a profit. These tools enable you to observe live currency rates, which are the path to any profitable trade.

Forex trading is very volatile and is considered to be a fast-paced option to make and at the same time lose money. While trading in Forex, if you are careless, there are some potential pitfalls that may result into loss. Naturally, you also have to think about whether the software uses windows, Linux, Mac pc or even Java as well as select the 1 most appropriate to suit your needs. Before you open a full account, most brokerages permit you to check out their forex trading platforms by simply opening the demo accounts. During this test time period, determine which software is best for you.

Some vendors offer trial versions, or even free versions, of their Forex trading tools. This is usually the case with trading charts, that happen to be incredibly handy in getting a visual analysis of the market you’re working in. They are also very useful in telling you of the opening and closing values of each currency. This is important if you would like to be a successful at trading. If you use the most up-to-date tools, you will be able to work much more effectively, as they are capable of adjusting themselves according to live currency rates.

The best forex trading platform provides a free demo account for its users along with training. In fact you can undergo training at your own convenience and choose to learn through videos or individual training sessions. Finally, once you find a suitable forex platform, make sure that you convert your demo account into a regular account so that you can trade with real currency. If you do not have the ability to run Windows-based software, then be sure to check with the software product vendor to make sure your operating system is supported and how.

For best results, your selected forex trading platform must be simple to use. An elaborate system can make learning challenging especially for unskilled forex traders just like you. Select a program that is very easy to utilize so that you easily become an expert from utilizing it in matter of few hours or perhaps short time instead of several weeks or even months. A platform that is simple to use not only makes it easy for traders to execute their work, it also helps to reduce the decision-making time.

This is particularly important for novices who have a lot of things to get familiar with. However, that’s not to say that a simple platform to use is not useful to experienced traders. So when you’re selecting a broker, make sure that the software they use is not complicated for you to learn. It might also help if the platform has resources that are easy to access for learners.

When searching for the best forex trading platform to purchase, you’ll realize that almost every platform boasts of multiple features that promise traders thousands of dollars in returns. The truth is that some of those platforms do not live up to their promise, although some others will give you that small edge you need to come out on top. Therefore, it is important to look out for the scams and avoid them. One way to do this is to only buy a system that offers a money back guarantee. Alternatively, they may offer a trial period to test the system for free before finally making a decision.

It is important to understand that the services provided may differ from one platform to another. An ideal forex platform is one that provides you with a variety of services. Always look for a forex platform that has the ability to set up your own trading rules, provide complete details of your account, place orders, provide currency charts and also provide you with accurate analysis of the various forex markets. Since there are a number of trading platforms in the market place, it can be quite difficult to find a suitable forex platform.

As you might already know by now, Forex Trading is a round-the-clock activity that happens during the five working days of the week. In addition, the forex market attracts investors from countries around the globe, so that means that there is always some activity somewhere. Thus, the need to have access to real-time data cannot be over-emphasized. Traders cannot make any decisions without this information, or at best, they will make poor decisions without real-time quotes. Needless to say, a Forex trading platform should be able to provide this vital information so that traders can make good decisions on their trades.

Accurate Forex Quotes – You will want a trading platform that has accurate trading quotes for all of the currency pairs you are interested in trading. You want to avoid the risk of requotes and not knowing when the market has changed so that you can initiate trades in a timely way and monitor your risk adequately. Most forex trading platforms available to personal traders operate via the Internet, so you will also want to have a stable and reliable high speed Internet connection to assure the fastest possible transmission of pricing data.

In general, forex trading platforms offer their users the ability to manually enter and execute forex trades with an online forex broker. The very best platforms always bring forward completely automatic online streaming data through the market on real-time basis. This is a plus factor in relation to analyzing the liquidity of the forex market. When it comes to the best forex platform, any trading that offers market analysis should also have historical data available, so you can see how the forex was affected when a similar situation occurred.

Often, this automation helps traders by taking the emotional and discretionary component out of trading a particular system, and once set up, they can also help a trader save considerable time. Furthermore, these systems can sometimes offer assistance to beginning traders who wish to learn how to trade like experts. Trading platforms should not be taken down during market trading hours due to the risk that you will not be able to close out a trading position at the appropriate time. Look for a trading platform that operates with minimal downtime.

The best Forex trading platform for a new Forex trader entirely depends on the Forex broker that he or she acquires. It is the sole duty of the broker to do the business on behalf of the individual. In this regard, there are several brokers that are ready and willing to do the business on behalf of the individual investors. However, it is advisable to carry out adequate research on the most reliable, experienced and well reputed Forex trading broker. With hundreds of forex brokers offering their services online, choosing the right broker is a task that is no less difficult than creating a successful strategy sometimes.

A forex broker may offer either a fixed or a variable spread. In general, a fixed spread is a bit higher on average, but it remains constant regardless of the trading conditions. A variable spread is generally lower for most of the time, but it may widen considerably during important economic news announcements or at night. You should choose a broker with a fixed spread if you want to trade news or will be active in the periods with low volatility (such as after 5pm EST).

During the trade, Spreads will be collected and you don’t have to worry about the possible dimes in return to the broker’s services, they are compensated through the Spreads. The collection of Spreads during the trading by the Forex broker will be conducted, regardless if you are in a profit or loss. It is said the the highest Spread could be 10 pips and can be low as 1 pip, this makes it necessary to check whether the Forex broker operates huge Spreads or not. An ideal Spreads that best forex brokers for beginners should collect is from 2 pips and below.

A demo account allows you to test your trading strategy in real time, on the forex trading platform, but with virtual money. Demo trades can reveal weaknesses of your strategy. They can also help you discover any problems with the broker’s trading platform. At the same time, you do not bear any risk. It is essential to use a free practice account before you trade for real. However, demo trading might sometimes differ from live trading because of the non-existing slippage (difference in price between the time you place an order and the time it is executed) in demo accounts.

Since the forex platform is a piece of software that acts as a conduit for information between a trader and a broker. Ideally, it should always be online when trading is going on so as to avoid the risk of not completing a trade at a suitable time. So, the trading platform you finally choose should have minimal levels of downtime. Success in foreign currency trading depends on your ability to analyze forex trends and movements. Without it, your trades will be based primarily on guesses and guessing where your currency pair will end up in the next minutes, hours or at the end of the day is not a very profitable way of doing forex trading.

Much of the selection process is a subjective matter is knowing it has enough brokers supporting it. Be sure one or more of the brokers in Selecting a FOREX Broker, actively support the platform of your choice. As in the case of brokers, I recommend you e-mail the trading platform vendor once or twice with any questions to get a line on the quality of support. Finally, do the brokers who use the platform support it wholeheartedly or is it just sort of there? Where vendor support is poor is a critical issue.

It is important that the system communications over the internet are secured. When you need to access or provide personal and private information over the Internet, such as credit card numbers, bank account data and trading account information, the security of your data from prying eyes who might misuse it becomes paramount. In addition, if you store key data online, you will want that information to be secured by the host.

The truth is that some of those platforms do not live up to their promise, although some others will give you that small edge you need to come out on top. Therefore, it is important to look out for the scams and avoid them. One way to do this is to only buy a system that offers a money back guarantee. Alternatively, they may offer a trial period to test the system for free before finally making a decision. Remember if you are going to try any forex robot and forex system that you fully understand how the system works before running it live. I always recommend to use your refund period to test it thoroughly for at least a month. If your results are above satisfaction, then and only then should you consider taking steps to trade it live with your hard earned money. However, if you are not satisfied, do not hesitate to request your money back.

A country’s foreign exchange rates are an indication of its economic health. Its exchange rate plays a very important role in its trade level. It is for this reason that rates are constantly scrutinized, analyzed and at times manipulated by government departments. For the individual investor, these rates often have an adverse effect on their portfolios.

Trading activities between countries is the main factor that affects currency rate fluctuations. When a country shows an increase in its currency rate, its export prices will increase, and its import prices will drop in the foreign market. The reverse is true when a country has a low currency rate. If a country has a low exchange rate, its trade balance will increase, but a high exchange rate will decrease its trade balance.

Current Account Deficit

The trade difference between a country and its trade partners is termed as a ‘current account.’ It shows the difference between payments made from one country to another for interest, dividends, goods and services. A deficit in a country’s current account shows that it is spending more on foreign trade than it is earning from other countries. It is also indicative of the fact that a country requires funding from foreign sources to get rid of its deficit. This indicates that a country requires more foreign currency than it is earning from its exports. This means that the demand for its products is not very high.

Interest Rates

The correlation between inflation, interest rates and foreign exchange rates is extremely strong. If central banks make the decision to manipulate interest rates, there is a direct influence on inflation and the currency exchange rate. By raising the interest rate, lenders achieve a higher return than in other countries. This attracts investment from foreign countries which causes an increase in the exchange rate. When interest rates are brought down, the return for lenders decreases which brings down the exchange rate.

Inflation

If a country has a consistently low inflation rate, its currency value will increase. This is so because the country’s purchasing power increases in relation to foreign currencies. The countries who maintained low inflation rates during the past fifty or so years are Germany, Japan and Switzerland. Low inflation in North America was only achieved much later. Countries that have a high inflation rate experience a dip in their currency rate as opposed to their trade partners. This phenomenon is linked to high interest rates.

The foreign currency exchange rates linked to your investments will be the determining factor of the actual value of your investment portfolio. There are a huge number of factors that determine a country’s exchange rate and these are complicated enough to leave many experienced traders confused. If you are an avid investor or foreign currency trader, you should become familiar with concepts that determine currency values. These rates will have a dramatic effect on the return on your investments.

Foreign currency exchange rates are determined by several factors and this not only affects trading between countries, it also affects the individual consumer in several ways. Corporations who trade with other countries are also affected negatively at times.

Foreign exchange rates affect not only a country’s economy, but also the average man in the street. If you purchase a foreign item or you travel internationally, you are involved in this massive financial market. Most individuals are normally affected by the exchange rate when they travel. It is not possible for you to pay for goods or services in Europe with a US dollar. Before you travel to Europe, you will have to convert some of your US dollars for Euros, or you can obtain Euros when you arrive in Europe.

Cost of Money

Modern economies are dependent upon their national currency. It allows the determination of the value of goods across all countries. The foreign exchange rate can be termed as the cost of one currency compared to another currency. For example if you require US dollars and you have British pounds, you can exchange one British pound for $1.52.

The History of U.S. Foreign Exchange Rates

All the world currencies used to be determined by gold reserves. It meant that any paper money issued by a government had to be equivalent to the same amount of gold held in reserve by that government. During the 1930s, the United States set the dollar’s value at a level of $35 to an ounce of gold. After the Second World War, other countries started basing their currency’s value on the US dollar. Since the U.S. had a set value to their dollar, it was simple for other currencies to use the same calculation.

The U.S. inflation rate increased, lowering the value of its currency. This made other currencies more valuable compared to the dollar and the US had to make a decision regarding their currency’s value. It was then determined that the value of the dollar would be reduced and the value of an ounce of gold was placed at $70. The U.S. removed the gold standard completely in 1971. This meant that its currency value was determined by market forces only.

Exchange Methods

Governments of different countries make use of two main systems to determine its exchange rate. These are pegged and floating currency exchange rates.

Floating Rate

• A floating exchange rate is determined by market factors. This means that a country’s currency is valued at the rate buyers are prepared to pay for it. The basis for this valuation is supply and demand which has driving forces such as inflation, foreign investment and other economic factors. This is not a perfect system as countries with unstable economies often suffer under the supply and demand economic law.

Pegged Rate

• A pegged rate is a fixed system whereby the rate is set and maintained artificially by a government. This rate generally suffers no fluctuation.

• National banks have to hold huge amounts of foreign currency to ride the waves of supply and demand. In the event that there is a sudden demand for a specific currency, the central bank has to release sufficient currency to meet that demand.

There are many determining factors related to foreign exchange rates. Those who wish to trade in this market should be aware of these factors.

The forex market is quickly becoming one of the most popular markets for trading. Not only are the experienced traders looking to this market to maximize their trading returns, but many new, individual investors are now able to trade the Forex market – just as they do stocks and futures. More and more individuals are seeing currency not only as a new way to diversify their portfolio, but are also finding that it is becoming the most profitable component of their investments. And that’s because of the many advantages currency offers over other markets like stocks or commodities. Here’s what you will typically see advertized about forex:

– Unparallelled liquidity. It is the largest financial market in the world by far. Almost trillion being traded daily!
– Excellent leverage potential. Individual investors have access to leverage of 100:1 and even 200:1
– No Commissions
– Low trading costs.

And yes, the Forex market really does offer all these advantages. But the last two points above talk about costs, and that’s what we’d like to focus on in this article. Like any trading, there are costs involved, and, while these may be much lower than they used to be, it is important to understand what those are.

Let’s start by looking at stock trading, something that most of us investors are pretty familiar with. When trading stocks, most investors will have a trading account with a broker somewhere and will have investment funds deposited in that account. The broker will then execute the trades on behalf of the account holder, and of course, in return for providing that service, the broker will want to be compensated. With stocks, typically, the broker will earn a commission for executing the trade. They will charge either a fixed dollar amount per trade, or a dollar amount per share, or (most commonly) a scaled commission based on how big your trade is. And, they will charge it on both sides of the transaction. That is to say, when you buy the stock you get charged commission, AND then when you sell that same stock you get charged another commission.

With Forex trading, the brokers constantly advertise “no commission”. And, of course that’s true – except for a few brokers, who do charge a commission similar to stocks. But also, of course, the brokers aren’t performing their trading services for free. They too make money. The way they do that is by charging the investor a “spread”. Simply put, the spread is the difference between the bid price and the ask price for the currency being traded. The broker will add this spread onto the price of the trade and keep it as their fee for trading. So, while it isn’t a commission per se, it behaves in practically the same way. It is just a little more hidden.

The good news though is that typically this spread is only charged on one side of the transaction. In other words, you don’t pay the spread when you buy AND then again when you sell. It is usually only charged on the “buy” side of the trades. So the spread really is your primary cost of trading the Forex and you should pay attention to the details of what the different brokers offer.

The spreads offered can vary pretty dramatically from broker to broker. And while it may not seem like much of a difference to be trading with a 5 pip spread vs a 4 pip spread, it actually can add up very quickly when you multiply it out by how many trades you make and how much money you’re trading. Think about it, 4 pips vs 5 pips is a difference of 25% on your trading costs.

The other thing to recognize is that spreads can vary based on what currencies you’re trading and what type of account you open. Most brokers will give you different spreads for different currencies. The most popular currency pairs like the EUR/USD or GBP/USD will typically have the lowest spreads, while currencies that have less demand will likely be traded with higher spreads.

Be sure to think about what currencies you are most likely to be trading and find out what your spreads will be for those currencies. Also, some brokers will offer different spreads for different types of accounts. A mini account, for example, may be subject to higher spreads than a full contract account. And finally, because the spreads really are the difference between bid prices and ask prices as determined by the free market, it is important to recognize that they are not “guaranteed”.

Most brokers will tell you that there may be times during periods of low demand, or very active trading when the spreads widen and you will be charged that wider spread. These do tend to be rarer situations because the volume in the Forex market is so large and demand and supply are generally quite predictable. But they do occur, especially with some of the lesser traded currencies. So it’s important to be aware of that. In summary then, when trading Forex, understand that the “spread” is truly your most important consideration for trading costs.

Spreads can vary significantly between brokers, account types and currencies traded. And small differences in the spread can really add up to thousands of dollars in trading costs over even just a few months. So be sure to consider carefully what currencies you are going to be trading, how frequently, and in what type of account and use those factors to help you decide which broker can offer you the best trading costs and allow you to keep more of your returns as net profits!

How difficult is it to make money trading the currency market? How much time does it take to actually be able to make a living trading the currency market? These and other important aspects of trading are to be discussed in this article. Trading the currency market has many benefits over other financial markets, among the most important are: superior liquidity, 24hrs market, better execution, and others. Traders and investor see the currency market as a new speculation or diversifying opportunity because of these benefits. Does this mean that it is easy to make money trading the currency Market? Not at all.

Forex brokers agree that 90% of traders end up losing money, 5% of traders end up at break even and only 5% of them achieve consistent profitable results. With these statistics shown, I don’t consider trading to be an easy task. But, is it harder to master any other endeavor? I don’t think so, consider musicians, writers, or even other businesses, the success rates are about the same, there are a whole bunch of them who never got to the top. Now that we know it is not easy to achieve consistent profitable results, a must question would be, Why is it that some traders succeed while others fail to trade successfully in the currency market?

There is no hard answer to this question, or a recipe to follow to achieve consistent profitable results. What we do know is that traders that reach the top think different. That’s right, they don’t follow the crowd, they are an independent part of the crowd. A few things that separate the top traders from the rest are:

Education: They are very well educated in the matter; they have chosen to learn every single and important aspect of trading. The best traders know that every trade is a learning experience. They approach the Forex market with humility, otherwise the market will prove them wrong.

Currency trading system: Top traders have a Forex trading system. They have the discipline to follow it rigorously, because they know that only the trades that are signaled by their system have a greater rate of success. Price behavior: They have incorporated price behavior into their trading systems. They know price action has the last word.

Money management: Avoiding the risk of ruin is a primary subject to the best traders. After all, you cannot succeed without funds in your trading account.

Trading psychology: They are aware of every psychological issue that affects the decisions made by traders. They have accepted the fact that every individual trade has two probable outcomes, not just the winning side. These are, among others, the most important factors that influence the success rate of Forex traders.

We know now that it is not easy to make money trading the Forex market, but it is possible. We also discussed the most important factors that influence the rate of success of Forex traders. But, how much time does it take to have consistent profitable results?

It is different from trader to trader. For some, it could take a life time, and still don’t get the desired results, for some others, a few years are enough to get consistent profitable results. The answer to this question may vary, but what I want to make clear here is that trading successfully is a process, it’s not something you can do in a short period of time.

Trading successfully is no easy task; it is a process and could take years to achieve the desired results. There are a few things though every trader should take in consideration that could accelerate the process: having a trading system, using money management, education, being aware of psychological issues, discipline to follow your trading system and your trading plan, and others.